myFutureNC Legislative Dinner and Discussion: A Focus on Educational Attainment in North Carolina
June 13, 2018
Raleigh, NC – On Wednesday, June 13th a legislative dinner and discussion, co-hosted by the myFutureNC Commission and The Hunt Institute, was held in Raleigh, North Carolina. The dinner is part of an annual dinner series held by the Hunt Institute offering state legislators the opportunity to engage in an open and constructive dialogue about important state education issues. The dinner centered around educational attainment, the key focus of the myFutureNC Commission, and will feature Scott Jenkins, Strategy Director of Lumina Foundation, as the evening’s resource expert and speaker.
Prior to joining Lumina, Jenkins served as the Senior Education Policy Director for Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana, directing the Governor’s education agenda in the Department of Education, the Commission for Higher Education and the Indiana General Assembly. Jenkins will provide an overview of the national movement to increase educational attainment at the state level and share best practices utilized by other states.
“To significantly increase higher education attainment in the U.S., the importance of coordinated and collaborative policy action in states cannot be understated,” Jenkins said. “It is imperative that both policymakers and educators rethink how our systems serve students so that all individuals regardless of income, race, and zip code can complete a high-quality postsecondary credential or degree.”
North Carolina Representative John Fraley, a member of the myFutureNC Commission, introduced the evening’s speaker and remarks were given by both Kristy Teskey, Executive Director of myFutureNC, and Javaid Siddiqi, President & CEO of the Hunt Institute. “I look forward to working with the myFutureNC Commission as they collaborate to create a plan to increase the alignment between education and workforce in North Carolina. I hope to continue to build support for this effort with my colleagues at the General Assembly,” Fraley said.
North Carolina is one of only a handful of states without a statewide attainment goal. Teskey has been charged with correcting that status and is leading the Commission as it reviews data, hears from stakeholders, and examines the condition of the full education continuum in North Carolina. “Our goal is to develop a multi-year education plan that recommends a robust state attainment goal and a broad-based agenda to promote a stronger and more competitive North Carolina,” Teskey said.
More than 50 legislators and education leaders from around North Carolina were in attendance. “The energy around the Commission’s work is palpable. Bringing in voices from around the state is critical to maintaining the momentum that Kristy and the Commission have built,” Siddiqi said. “We’re honored to partner with myFutureNC for this important conversation.”
[metaslider id=3540]
###
About myFutureNC – Commissioned in 2017, myFutureNC is a statewide commission focusing on educational attainment and bringing together North Carolina’s thought leaders across education, business, philanthropy, faith-based and non-profit communities, as well as ex-officio representatives from the NC General Assembly and Governor’s office. With the primary responsibility to create a multi‐year plan and a broad‐based agenda to develop shared goals for educational attainment in North Carolina. To learn more, visit myfuturenc.org
About the Hunt Institute – Established in 2001 and an affiliate of the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, the Hunt Institute is a recognized leader in the movement to transform public education. Marshaling expertise from a nationwide partner network since it was established in 2001, the Institute brings together people and resources that help build and nurture visionary leadership and mobilize strategic action for greater educational outcomes and student success. To learn more, visit hunt-institute.org
About Lumina Foundation – The Lumina Foundation, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is an independent, private foundation committed to making higher education learning opportunities available to all. Lumina is the largest philanthropic organization in the United States focused solely on increasing the proportion of Americans with learning beyond high school. The Foundation is working toward a goal of 60 percent of working-age people in the United States with college degrees, certificates and other high-quality postsecondary credentials by 2025. To learn more, visit luminafoundation.org
